Save Money When Buying New Spectacle Frames

Introduction: Save Money When Buying New Spectacle Frames

Don't wanna spend a lot of money on new frames? Try this and you may save more money than you think! I'm not an expert in this an have never tried this out but a couple of my friends had. I'm not responsible for anything at all.

Step 1: Get a Pair of Cheap Reading Glass

You can get them usually at drug stores but if you look deep into the internet you may get better deals and cooler looks. Here is one I bought from a local drug store for about 5 bucks and it looks awesome

Step 2: Pop the Lenses Out

The lens in there are usually for reading only so no long distance vision if you use these so you want to pop them out. Usually you just push on the lens and it should come out with ease.

Step 3: Bring It to the Store

Hopefully this would work in the store you go. Bring the frames and give them your perscription and request for custom lens. If it works, this should save your money :-)

I work for an optometrist and neither of the labs we work with will accept frames like this with the excuse that the frame is flimsy and may break in process. But this is really baloney because our least expensive frames are no better than cheapo sunglasses. Good luck!

It's not the frames that are the biggest expense ... when you have special requirements, such as super thin lenses (due to weight/thickness), or want the progressive type of bifocal, it's the lenses that are outrageously expensive. I can find any number of frames I like for less than $100 (sometimes, less than $50), but my prescription typically adds at least $250 to the bill. I've had frames in the past that I really liked and wanted to fit with new lenses and couldn't get anyone to do that, even though the frames were expensive and came from a traditional eyewear manufacturer. One thing I've noticed in recent years is that bells & whistles I don't want are automatically added -- for example, anti-scratch coating. I NEVER got scratches on my lenses until this coating was added! It reminds me of trying to buy either a car or computer these days .... all the "add-on's" I don't want and really don't want to pay for, but are forced into because that's what's available now as "standard" or "basic."

I really recommend you buy your eyeglasses over the internet. There are several sites selling glasses, and despite the fear mongering that you'll see, they are great. Search words include: prescription AND glasses OR goggles

You have to remember that eyeglass prices and ESPECIALLY frame prices are artificially inflated. There is only one significant company that makes ALL the frames.

Beware of sites that DO NOT ASK for your prescription strength - they're in business just to give the real places a bad name.

You will need the following information from your prescriber. DO NOT let them bamboozle you. You paid for the exam, the results of that exam are YOURS.

Prescription strength for each eye (assuming you have two eyes). For bifocals you'll need two strengths for each eye.

Sphere (SPH) for each eye

Cylinder (CYL) for each eye

Axis (AXI) Add for each eye. Note, they sometimes give you a negative number. Just ask them for the positive version.

And something called interpupillary distance (PD) which is nothing more than the distance between your pupils. It's usually around 65 mm. if its much lower, then they probably measured it from your pupil to your nose on each side, so just double that number. Now, if you look at something close up, your eyes cross slightly, which brings your pupils slightly closer together, so galsses for close work, like reading glasses should have a slightly reduced PD

If they are willing to use your frame, the won't care wether it has sample lenses (like the ones in their store), prescription lenses, or cheater lenses. The plus side is, the machine used to trace the frame shape for cutting your new lenses, does a much better job with one lens in place. The clamping pressure of the frame for tracing can distort cheap/thin frames with no lenses. Makes for a more difficult fitting job. And if you do it a lot, your optician is well within their rights to charge you a pattern fee, and there goes some of your savings.

Also, be aware cheap reader frames are cheap for a reason. A good frame can last decades of use. The cheater frames will MAYBE last the 2 years between optomitrist visits. If you are very gentle. Like any tool, cheap ones are disposable, and MAY last 'long enough'. Good tools may out last you.